V.FOR THE VICTORY AT AGINCOURT.

FOOTNOTES:[100]See (Mr. Hurd's)Letters on Chivalry, 8vo. 1762,Memoires dela Chevalerie, par M. de la Curne de Sainte-Palaye, 1759, 2 tom. 12mo. &c.[101][talk.][102][fierce fighting.][103][wonder.][104][doughty.][105][stout.][106][dire or sad.][107][sport.][108][Islington.][109][labourers.][110]Ver. 20. It is not very clear in the MS. whether it should beconts, orconters.[111][bailiff.][112][daughter.][113][know would I.][114][to wed her for his mate.][115][idle fellows.][116][promised.][117][it be to-morrow.][118][accursed.][119][she.][120][shall have possession of her with joy.][121][beareth.][122][prize.][123][blow.][124]Ver. 48. Dozty, MS.[125]V. 49. coppeld. We still use the phrase "a copple-crowned hen."[126][expense.][127][bid or offer.][128][went.][129][made ready their clothing.][130]V. 57. gayed,PC.[131][them.][132][heads.][133][polls.][134][bowls.][135][cudgels.][136][burst.][137][each one.][138]V. 66 is wanting in MS. and supplied fromPC.[139][ready.][140][they began to go forth.][141][shown.][142][much strength.][143][best defend his body.][144]V. 72. He borrowed him,PC.[145][gathering.][146][riding to the inclosure.][147][sackfull of feathers.][148]Ver. 76. The MS. had oncesedys,i.e.seeds, which appears to have been altered tofedyrs, or feathers. Bedwell's copy hasSenvy,i.e.Mustard-seed.[149]V. 77. and led hur to cap, MS.[150][nonce or occasion.][151][Chaucer uses the expression "rowel boon" in hisTale ofSir Thopas, which is explained asround bone.][152]V. 83. Bedwell'sPC.has "Ruel-Bones."[153]V. 84. safer stones, MS.[154][token.][155][wrought.][156]V. 85.wrotyn,i.e.wrought.PC.reads, written.[157]V. 86. No catel (perhaps chatel) they had spared, MS.[158][crepitus ventris.][159]V. 89. Then ... faucon, MS.[160][deprive.][161]Ver. 101. grant, MS.[162][discomfit.][163][fear.][164][riddle or sieve.][165][sprinkled over with firebrands.][166][pieces.][167][each.][168][though I have the gout.][169]V. 109. yf he have, MS.[170]V. 110. the MS. literally hasthr. sand, here.[171][in each place where they.][172][unless Tib will call me.][173][ere I be thrice made to][174][even once.][175][engage.][176][dough trough.][177][a baker's long-handled shovel.][178][fleece of wool.][179][so.][180]V. 128. merth, MS.[181][roe.][182][horse.][183][go.][184][work more wisely.][185]Ver. 137. fwyselier, MS.[186]V. 146. flailes and harnisse,PC.[187][dressed.][188][hide.][189][a small wooden hammer occasionally fixed to the plough.][190]Ver. 151. The chiefe,PC.[191][moonlight.][192][child's.][193]V. 154. yt ys, MS.[194][man.][195][fellow.][196][wonderfully.][197][splintered.][198]V. 163. The boyes were, MS.[199][many men.][200][skulls.][201][dressed.][202][striking fast of the staffs of the flails.][203][over-fought.][204][on horseback.][205]V. 170. creped then about in the croft, MS.[206][stoop.][207][hurt.][208][laid hold of.][209]Ver. 179. razt, MS.[210][them.][211]V. 185. stand, MS.[212][lose.][213][knew it were my sending.][214]V. 189. sand, MS.[215]V. 190. thePC.reads, ilk throng.[216][make off.][217][drew.][218]Ver. 199. Thys, MS.[219][elder sticks used for candles.][220][rushes.][221][harrows.][222]V. 204. hom for to fetch, MS.[223][half door of a cottage.][224][crutch.][225]V. 208. about everych side, MS.[226]V. 209. the gre, is wanting in MS.[227]V. 210. mothe, MS.[228]V. 212. and thay ifere assent, MS.[229]V. 214. had wed, MS.[230][singing men and women.][231]V. 215. The cheefemen,PC.[232][lame in the hip.][233]V. 218. trippand on, MS.[234]In the former impressions this concluding stanza was only given from Bedwell's printed edition, but it is here copied from the old MS. wherein it has been since found separated from the rest of the poem, by several pages of a money account, and other heterogeneous matter.[235][a lean chicken.][236][a confusion.][237]Six-men's song,i.e.a song for six voices. So Shakespeare uses three-man song-men, in hisWinter's Tale, act iii. sc. 3, to denote men that could sing catches composed for three voices. Of this sort are Weelkes's madrigals mentioned below, book ii. song 9. So again Shakespeare has three-men beetle;i.e.a beetle or rammer worked by three men,2 Hen. IV.act i. sc. 3.

[100]See (Mr. Hurd's)Letters on Chivalry, 8vo. 1762,Memoires dela Chevalerie, par M. de la Curne de Sainte-Palaye, 1759, 2 tom. 12mo. &c.

[101][talk.]

[102][fierce fighting.]

[103][wonder.]

[104][doughty.]

[105][stout.]

[106][dire or sad.]

[107][sport.]

[108][Islington.]

[109][labourers.]

[110]Ver. 20. It is not very clear in the MS. whether it should beconts, orconters.

[111][bailiff.]

[112][daughter.]

[113][know would I.]

[114][to wed her for his mate.]

[115][idle fellows.]

[116][promised.]

[117][it be to-morrow.]

[118][accursed.]

[119][she.]

[120][shall have possession of her with joy.]

[121][beareth.]

[122][prize.]

[123][blow.]

[124]Ver. 48. Dozty, MS.

[125]V. 49. coppeld. We still use the phrase "a copple-crowned hen."

[126][expense.]

[127][bid or offer.]

[128][went.]

[129][made ready their clothing.]

[130]V. 57. gayed,PC.

[131][them.]

[132][heads.]

[133][polls.]

[134][bowls.]

[135][cudgels.]

[136][burst.]

[137][each one.]

[138]V. 66 is wanting in MS. and supplied fromPC.

[139][ready.]

[140][they began to go forth.]

[141][shown.]

[142][much strength.]

[143][best defend his body.]

[144]V. 72. He borrowed him,PC.

[145][gathering.]

[146][riding to the inclosure.]

[147][sackfull of feathers.]

[148]Ver. 76. The MS. had oncesedys,i.e.seeds, which appears to have been altered tofedyrs, or feathers. Bedwell's copy hasSenvy,i.e.Mustard-seed.

[149]V. 77. and led hur to cap, MS.

[150][nonce or occasion.]

[151][Chaucer uses the expression "rowel boon" in hisTale ofSir Thopas, which is explained asround bone.]

[152]V. 83. Bedwell'sPC.has "Ruel-Bones."

[153]V. 84. safer stones, MS.

[154][token.]

[155][wrought.]

[156]V. 85.wrotyn,i.e.wrought.PC.reads, written.

[157]V. 86. No catel (perhaps chatel) they had spared, MS.

[158][crepitus ventris.]

[159]V. 89. Then ... faucon, MS.

[160][deprive.]

[161]Ver. 101. grant, MS.

[162][discomfit.]

[163][fear.]

[164][riddle or sieve.]

[165][sprinkled over with firebrands.]

[166][pieces.]

[167][each.]

[168][though I have the gout.]

[169]V. 109. yf he have, MS.

[170]V. 110. the MS. literally hasthr. sand, here.

[171][in each place where they.]

[172][unless Tib will call me.]

[173][ere I be thrice made to]

[174][even once.]

[175][engage.]

[176][dough trough.]

[177][a baker's long-handled shovel.]

[178][fleece of wool.]

[179][so.]

[180]V. 128. merth, MS.

[181][roe.]

[182][horse.]

[183][go.]

[184][work more wisely.]

[185]Ver. 137. fwyselier, MS.

[186]V. 146. flailes and harnisse,PC.

[187][dressed.]

[188][hide.]

[189][a small wooden hammer occasionally fixed to the plough.]

[190]Ver. 151. The chiefe,PC.

[191][moonlight.]

[192][child's.]

[193]V. 154. yt ys, MS.

[194][man.]

[195][fellow.]

[196][wonderfully.]

[197][splintered.]

[198]V. 163. The boyes were, MS.

[199][many men.]

[200][skulls.]

[201][dressed.]

[202][striking fast of the staffs of the flails.]

[203][over-fought.]

[204][on horseback.]

[205]V. 170. creped then about in the croft, MS.

[206][stoop.]

[207][hurt.]

[208][laid hold of.]

[209]Ver. 179. razt, MS.

[210][them.]

[211]V. 185. stand, MS.

[212][lose.]

[213][knew it were my sending.]

[214]V. 189. sand, MS.

[215]V. 190. thePC.reads, ilk throng.

[216][make off.]

[217][drew.]

[218]Ver. 199. Thys, MS.

[219][elder sticks used for candles.]

[220][rushes.]

[221][harrows.]

[222]V. 204. hom for to fetch, MS.

[223][half door of a cottage.]

[224][crutch.]

[225]V. 208. about everych side, MS.

[226]V. 209. the gre, is wanting in MS.

[227]V. 210. mothe, MS.

[228]V. 212. and thay ifere assent, MS.

[229]V. 214. had wed, MS.

[230][singing men and women.]

[231]V. 215. The cheefemen,PC.

[232][lame in the hip.]

[233]V. 218. trippand on, MS.

[234]In the former impressions this concluding stanza was only given from Bedwell's printed edition, but it is here copied from the old MS. wherein it has been since found separated from the rest of the poem, by several pages of a money account, and other heterogeneous matter.

[235][a lean chicken.]

[236][a confusion.]

[237]Six-men's song,i.e.a song for six voices. So Shakespeare uses three-man song-men, in hisWinter's Tale, act iii. sc. 3, to denote men that could sing catches composed for three voices. Of this sort are Weelkes's madrigals mentioned below, book ii. song 9. So again Shakespeare has three-men beetle;i.e.a beetle or rammer worked by three men,2 Hen. IV.act i. sc. 3.

Thatour plain and martial ancestors could wield their swords much better than their pens, will appear from the following homely rhymes, which were drawn up by some poet laureat of those days to celebrate the immortal victory gained at Agincourt, Oct. 25, 1415. This song or hymn is given meerly as a curiosity, and is printed from a MS. copy in the Pepys collection, vol. i. folio. It is there accompanied with the musical notes, which are copied on the opposite page.

[When the news of this great victory arrived in England, the people "were literally mad with joy and triumph," and although Henry V. on his entrance into London after the battle, commanded that no "ditties should be made and sung by minstrels or others" in praise of Agincourt, "for that he would whollie have the praise and thankes altogether given to God," several songs have come down to us on this soul-inspiring theme. Besides the present ballad there are,1.Agincourte Battell, beginning—

1.Agincourte Battell, beginning—

"A councell brave our King did hold,"

in the Percy Folio MS. (see Hales and Furnivall's edition, vol. ii. p. 166).2.Agincourt, or the English Bowman's Glory, a spirited ballad quoted in Heywood'sKing Edward IV., the first stanza of which is as follows—

in the Percy Folio MS. (see Hales and Furnivall's edition, vol. ii. p. 166).

2.Agincourt, or the English Bowman's Glory, a spirited ballad quoted in Heywood'sKing Edward IV., the first stanza of which is as follows—

"Agincourt, Agincourt!Know ye not Agincourt?Where English slue and hurtAll their French foemen?With our pikes and bills brown,How the French were beat downe,Shot by our bowman."

3.King Henry V., his Conquest of France, commencing—

"As our King lay musing on his bed."

4.The Cambro-Briton's Ballad of Agincourt, by Michael Drayton.Besides these ballads there is a poem attributed to Lydgate, and Drayton'sBattaile of Agincourt. For further information on the subject the reader should see Sir Nicholas Harris Nicolas'sHistoryof the Battle, and Hales and Furnivall's edition of the Percy Folio MS. (vol. ii. pp. 158, 595).Dr. Rimbault describes the music attached to the present ballad "as the first English regular composition of which we have any remains."]

4.The Cambro-Briton's Ballad of Agincourt, by Michael Drayton.

Besides these ballads there is a poem attributed to Lydgate, and Drayton'sBattaile of Agincourt. For further information on the subject the reader should see Sir Nicholas Harris Nicolas'sHistoryof the Battle, and Hales and Furnivall's edition of the Percy Folio MS. (vol. ii. pp. 158, 595).

Dr. Rimbault describes the music attached to the present ballad "as the first English regular composition of which we have any remains."]

Deo gratias Anglia redde pro victoria!

Owre kynge went forth to Normandy,With grace and myyt of chivalry;The God for hym wrouyt marvelously,Wherefore Englonde may calle, and cry5Deo gratias:Deo gratias Anglia redde pro victoria.He sette a sege, the sothe for to say,To Harflue[238]toune with ryal aray;That toune he wan, and made a fray,10That Fraunce shall rywe tyl domes day.Deo gratias, &c.Then went owre kynge, with alle his oste,Thorowe Fraunce for all the Frenshe boste;He spared 'for' drede of leste, ne most,15Tyl he come to Agincourt coste.[239]Deo gratias, &c.Than for sothe that knyyt comelyIn Agincourt feld he fauyt manly,Thorow grace of God most myyty20He had bothe the felde, and the victory.Deo gratias, &c.Ther dukys, and erlys, lorde and barone,Were take, and slayne, and that wel sone,And some were ledde in to Lundone25With joye, and merthe, and grete renone.Deo gratias, &c.Now gracious God he save owre kynge,His peple, and all his wel wyllynge,Gef him gode lyfe, and gode endynge,30That we with merth mowe savely syngeDeo gratias:Deo gratias Anglia redde pro victoria.

Owre kynge went forth to Normandy,With grace and myyt of chivalry;The God for hym wrouyt marvelously,Wherefore Englonde may calle, and cry5Deo gratias:Deo gratias Anglia redde pro victoria.

He sette a sege, the sothe for to say,To Harflue[238]toune with ryal aray;That toune he wan, and made a fray,10That Fraunce shall rywe tyl domes day.Deo gratias, &c.

Then went owre kynge, with alle his oste,Thorowe Fraunce for all the Frenshe boste;He spared 'for' drede of leste, ne most,15Tyl he come to Agincourt coste.[239]Deo gratias, &c.

Than for sothe that knyyt comelyIn Agincourt feld he fauyt manly,Thorow grace of God most myyty20He had bothe the felde, and the victory.Deo gratias, &c.

Ther dukys, and erlys, lorde and barone,Were take, and slayne, and that wel sone,And some were ledde in to Lundone25With joye, and merthe, and grete renone.Deo gratias, &c.

Now gracious God he save owre kynge,His peple, and all his wel wyllynge,Gef him gode lyfe, and gode endynge,30That we with merth mowe savely syngeDeo gratias:Deo gratias Anglia redde pro victoria.

FOOTNOTES:[238][Harfleur.][239][region.]

[238][Harfleur.]

[239][region.]

Thesentimental beauties of this ancient ballad have always recommended it to readers of taste, notwithstanding the rust of antiquity which obscures the style and expression. Indeed if it had no other merit than the having afforded the groundwork to Prior'sHenry and Emma, this ought to preserve it from oblivion. That we are able to give it in so correct a manner, is owing to the great care and exactness of the accurate editor of theProlusions, 8vo. 1760; who has formed the text from two copies found in two different editions of Arnolde'sChronicle, a book supposed to be first printed about 1521. From the copy in theProlusionsthe following is printed, with a few additional improvements gathered from another edition of Arnolde's book[240]preserved in the public library at Cambridge. All the various readings of this copy will be found here, eitherreceived into the text, or noted in the margin. The references to theProlusionswill shew where they occur. In our ancient folio MS.[241]described in the preface, is a very corrupt and defective copy of this ballad, which yet afforded a great improvement in one passage. See v. 310.

It has been a much easier task to settle the text of this poem, than to ascertain its date. The ballad of theNutbrowne Maydwas first revived inThe Muses Mercuryfor June, 1707, 4to. being prefaced with a littleEssay on the old English Poets and Poetry; in which this poem is concluded to be "near 300 years old," upon reasons which, though they appear inconclusive to us now, were sufficient to determine Prior, who there first met with it. However, this opinion had the approbation of the learned Wanley, an excellent judge of ancient books. For that whatever related to the reprinting of this old piece was referred to Wanley, appears from two letters of Prior's preserved in the British Museum (Harl. MSS. No. 3777). The editor of theProlusionsthinks it cannot be older than the year 1500, because, in Sir Thomas More's tale ofThe Serjeant, &c., which was written about that time, there appears a sameness of rhythmus and orthography, and a very near affinity of words and phrases with those of this ballad. But this reasoning is not conclusive, for if Sir Thomas More made this ballad his model, as is very likely, that will account for the sameness of measure, and in some respect for that of words and phrases, even tho' this had been written long before; and as for the orthography, it is well known that the old printers reduced that of most books to the standard of their own times. Indeed it is hardly probable that an antiquary like Arnolde would have inserted it among his historical collections, if it had been then a modern piece; at least he would have been apt to have named its author. But to shew how little can be inferred from a resemblance of rhythmus or style, the Editor of these volumes has in his ancient folio MS. a poem on the victory of Flodden-field, written in the same numbers, with the same alliterations, and in orthography, phraseology, and style nearly resembling theVisions of PiercePlowman, which are yet known to have been composed above 160 years before that battle. As this poem is a great curiosity, we shall give a few of the introductory lines:

"Grant gracious God, grant me this time,That I may say, or I cease, thy selven to please;And Mary his mother, that maketh all this world;And all the seemlie saints, that sitten in heaven;I will carpe of kings, that conquered full wide,That dwelled in this land, that was alyes noble;Henry the seaventh, that soveraigne lord," &c.[242]

With regard to the date of the following ballad, we have taken a middle course, neither placed it so high as Wanley and Prior, nor quite so low as the editor of theProlusions; we should have followed the latter in dividing every other line into two, but that the whole would then have taken up more room than could be allowed it in this volume.

[The edition of Richard Arnold'sChronicle(1521) mentioned above, is the second; and the first, which is undated, was printed at Antwerp in 1502. This edition is described in Brydges'CensuräLiteraria(vol. vi. p. 114), where theNut-Brown Maidis printed. A copy from the Balliol MS. 354, of about the same date, is printed in Percy's folio manuscript, ed. Hales and Furnivall, vol iii. p. 174. Warton will not allow that the poem was written before the beginning of the sixteenth century, but as Percy says, it is highly improbable that an antiquary would insert a modern piece in his miscellany of curiosities.Percy has inserted the following note in his folio MS.: "From the concluding words of this last stanza—

Percy has inserted the following note in his folio MS.: "From the concluding words of this last stanza—

['but men wold that men sholdbe kind to them eche one,yett I had rather, god to obayand serve but him alone']

it should seem that the author was a woman."Mr. Skeat remarks that the part of the fourth stanza before the woman speaks, and the first two verses, are still more conclusive on this point. On the other side it is noticeable that the author speaks as a man at line 353:

it should seem that the author was a woman."

Mr. Skeat remarks that the part of the fourth stanza before the woman speaks, and the first two verses, are still more conclusive on this point. On the other side it is noticeable that the author speaks as a man at line 353:

"... that we mayTo them be comfortable;"

but this may only be a blind.Few readers will agree with Percy's estimate of Prior's poem, andHenry and Emmais now only remembered because of its connection with theNut-Brown Maid.Warton justly points out how the simplicity of the original is decorated, dilated, and consequently spoilt by Prior, who crowds his verses with zephyrs, Chloe, Mars, the Cyprian deity, &c. Such lay figures as these are quite out of keeping with the realities of this most exquisite poem.One instance of Prior's inability to appreciate the beauties of his original will be sufficient. The tender allusion at v. 232-3:

but this may only be a blind.

Few readers will agree with Percy's estimate of Prior's poem, andHenry and Emmais now only remembered because of its connection with theNut-Brown Maid.

Warton justly points out how the simplicity of the original is decorated, dilated, and consequently spoilt by Prior, who crowds his verses with zephyrs, Chloe, Mars, the Cyprian deity, &c. Such lay figures as these are quite out of keeping with the realities of this most exquisite poem.

One instance of Prior's inability to appreciate the beauties of his original will be sufficient. The tender allusion at v. 232-3:

"O my swete mother, before all otherFor you I have most drede,"

followed by the reflection:

"But nowe adue! I must ensueWhere fortune doth me lede,"

is entirely omitted by the later poet, who changes

"To shorte my here, a bowe to bere,To shote in tyme of nede,"

into

"Wanting the scissors, with these hands I'll tear(If that obstructs my flight) this load of hair."

TheNut-Brown Maidhas always been highly popular (a proof of the good taste of the people), and in consequence it figures in Captain Cox's collection described by Laneham. Another proof of its popularity is the existence of various parodies, one of which is of very early date.It was a common practice in the sixteenth century to turn ordinary ballads into religious songs.The New Nutbrowne Maid, printed by John Skot about 1520, reprinted by George Isted in 1820 for the Roxburghe Club, and again reprinted by Dr. Rimbault for the Percy Society (vol. iv.), 1842, is an instance of this practice. It is a close parody of the original, and purports to be "upon the passion of Cryste." Theheandsheare changed toMaria the maydeandJesus.Another version is given in the Percy folio MS. (ed. Hales and Furnivall, vol. ii. p. 334), which is entitledA Jigge.The incidents are vulgarized, "but," Mr. Hales observes, "the beauty of the original is too great to be altogether destroyed, however rude the hands that handle it. Something of the charm of theNut Brown Maidlingers around thisJig."]

It was a common practice in the sixteenth century to turn ordinary ballads into religious songs.The New Nutbrowne Maid, printed by John Skot about 1520, reprinted by George Isted in 1820 for the Roxburghe Club, and again reprinted by Dr. Rimbault for the Percy Society (vol. iv.), 1842, is an instance of this practice. It is a close parody of the original, and purports to be "upon the passion of Cryste." Theheandsheare changed toMaria the maydeandJesus.

Another version is given in the Percy folio MS. (ed. Hales and Furnivall, vol. ii. p. 334), which is entitledA Jigge.

The incidents are vulgarized, "but," Mr. Hales observes, "the beauty of the original is too great to be altogether destroyed, however rude the hands that handle it. Something of the charm of theNut Brown Maidlingers around thisJig."]

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